


#27 Goddesses, conclusion

by gpadow



Category: Gunsmoke, Matt/Kitty
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-09-20
Updated: 2011-09-20
Packaged: 2017-10-23 21:58:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/255447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gpadow/pseuds/gpadow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>shoot out and disappearance</p>
            </blockquote>





	#27 Goddesses, conclusion

**Author's Note:**

> This story respectfully features characters and canon from the television series, Gunsmoke, which aired in 1955. They are not owned by me.

#27 Goddesses, Part II

Mar. 16th, 2011 at 10:07 AM

 

The portly drummer from Moore, Hunt & Co. sipped his beef tea and watched the Long Branch owner scan the order and price book.  
Kitty Russell glared over her longnette and growled.

He was a goner. It was always a challenge doing business with this shrewd entrepreneur. Chet Mannon often found himself distracted by Kitty's flirting, and before he knew it, she would make a great deal for herself that he would have to explain to his bosses in San Fransisco.  
At other times the stubborn redhead's intense, blue eyed stare would bore a hole through him.This was one of those times.

"Now, Kitty, you never serve Kentucky whiskey in grade B or C Brands. Brand C went up to $3 a gallon, so we can't offer the AA at $4 per gallon any longer. I shouldn't have let that order go through last time. But, well, you know how special you are to me."

Kitty wasn't touched.

"I hate gallon pricing. It's a half barrel, and I buy by the barrel. Okay Chet, if AA Brand is now $5 per gallon, then a full barrel is $10. I'll double my order if you can give it to me for $8. After all, I still have to fill bottles."

Before the poor man could think it over, Kitty firmly said, "Deal?"

"I'm only ordering double because I like you, Chet," she added sweetly.

"Now, how about the Crown whiskey? You know I buy it only in bottles. How about the same deal? It was $8 per case last time and I think I can see my way to ordering two if the price stays the same."

"You write it up and I'll fix you another beef tea."

Kitty left the room and the drummer sat at her desk to place the order. "What just happened?" he asked himself.

A few minutes later she returned with the beef stock, pepper and brandy concoction.  
Matt followed right behind her.

Chet Mannon took the drink and Kitty looked over the order before signing.  
The man held out a clammy hand and said, "Good to see you, Marshal."

"Mannon."  
The name felt like lead in his mouth. The lawman's fists and stomach clenched, before he relaxed enough to shake the man's hand.

This unsuspecting drummer knew nothing of Mannon terrorizing the town and raping Kitty. He didn't know how she played the gunslinger to give Matt the edge he needed.

Chet Mannon wondered why the Marshal of Dodge City always treated him so coldly.

Kitty handed the drummer his book and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Always a pleasure, Chet."

After the drummer took his leave, Kitty grinned up at Matt, "Now, how about some rookus juice, Cowboy."

"Sure," Matt tried to smile.

"It's just a name, Matt, and a pretty common one. The man is dead. Don't think about it."

"Don't you, Kitty?"

He noticed Kitty's shoulders stiffen a little, remembered her nightmare, and wondered if was about her childhood or her life as the Marshal's Woman. It had been a long time since she had her sleep disturbed with dreams about Mannon, or worse, Jude Bonner.

"No, Matt, and I wish you wouldn't."

"Something is bothering you, Kitty, and I'm not talking about bad dreams."

"I know it sounds strange, Matt, but I get the feeling someone has been here. I mean after the Long Branch is closed. I can't explain it, but for the last three days I've had the feeling that I'm being watched."

###  
The dark stranger took his usual seat off to the side of the saloon and sipped his beer, waiting.

The couple emerged from the back room and Kitty went behind the bar to draw Matt a beer before talking to Sam about the whiskey order and delivery schedule.

Suddenly Festus came into the Long Branch to join Matt at the bar.

The stranger followed him with a cold gaze.

"Hi, Festus. Will you be bringing Miss Diana to work this evening?"

"Matthew, isn't Diana the looksomest gal ya ever did saw?"

"She and her sister are very attractive all right. Looks to me like she is quite smitten with you, Festus."

"Well you know how the Haggen charm effects she-males."

"Everybody knows that, Festus," Kitty grinned as she placed a cold beer in front of their friend.  
"I should be upset that you found yourself a younger girlfriend. After all we've meant to each other, too."

"Aw Miz Kitty, taint nothin personal don't ya know."

Kitty winked at Matt and the big man just rolled his eyes.

"Say, Festus, there's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"Fire away, Matthew."

"Were they with a wagon train? And what happened to the men in their party?"

"Golly bill, Matthew, I dun told ya I ain't got no clue about that."

Kitty said, "We figured by now you would learn her last name!"

Festus gulped down his beer and headed off to rig the buggy and pick up Diana at the small cabin the ladies were renting.

"I'll be a seein' ya directly!"

The stranger in black left right after him.

###

Selene was wearing a holster and pointing a handgun at empty bean cans lined up along the railing. Venus stood next to her, offering encouragement.  
"Just like I told you, girl. Mind the kick."

Selene began firing and cans began flying.

Minerva jumped up and down on the porch with her fingers in her ears.  
Athena came out and grabbed the child by the arm to bring her into the house.

Juno came out next holding a dress over her arm and a needle and thread.  
"You woke up the baby! I hope you're satisfied!"

Suddenly a buggy pulled up and an excited Festus jumped down and drew his gun. He took in the scene and realized there was no danger.

"Golly bill, Miss Venus, you'll be havin' everybody in Dodge a runnin' for cover."

"My baby sister is gonna be a good shot, Festus," she said proudly.

Festus was struck by how much her voice sounded like Diana's. He suddenly remembered why he was there, and looked toward the little cabin as the lovely blond walked toward him, smiling sweetly.

The hillman removed his hat and shyly said, "Good evening. I come to bring ya to town like we talked about."

"I'm all ready, Festus."

From behind a big tree a man in black watched as they drove off toward Dodge.

"I been watching the wrong one."  
"I shoulda figured the redhead wasn't side-steppin' on the Marshal. Now I know how to get to Haggen," the man snarled as he mounted his horse and road off after the buggy.

###

"Reading up on modern medicine, Doctor?"  
"Hi, Kitty," Matt said as he took a seat next to Doc Adams.

"Hello, Matt. What can I get you?"

"Rye whiskey sounds real good."

"How about you, Curly?"

"I don't know, Kitty, he seems to be busy with this book."

"Doc told me he's reading up on Greek and Roman Gods."

"I'll have the same, Kitty."  
"And it's Goddesses."

Doc put the book down and swiped a hand over his mustache.

"It's very interesting."

"For example, Diana is the Goddess of the hunt and Venus is the Goddess of love and beauty."

"No wonder Diana said she and her twin got the wrong names," Kitty quipped as she put brought a tray with three glasses and a bottle to the table."

Matt stood to pull out her chair and asked, "Are the other names Goddesses, too, Doc?"

"Yes. Even the children."

Kitty poured the drinks and she and Matt leaned forward to give the old physician their full attention.

Doc opened the book to the pages he had marked and began reading.

"Athena is the Goddess of wisdom, war and crafts."  
"Selena is the Goddess of the moon."  
"Juno is the Goddess of marriage, pregnancy and childbirth."  
"Iris is the Goddess of life and magic."  
"And Minerva is the Goddess of intellect and inventiveness."

"What about last names?" Matt and Kitty asked in unison.

"Gods and Goddesses don't have last names."

###

"And then ol' Aunt Thede, she done.."

A rifle shot from behind the buggy interrupted Festus' story as he brought the horses to a halt.

"Drop your gun, Haggen! Get down nice and slow, both of you."

"You done have me at a disadvantage stranger, seein you know my name an all."

"The first bullet will be for her if you don't throw down your gun."

Festus glanced at Diana and calmly said, "Don't you worry none," as he tossed his gun to the ground.

The horseman rode up closer, keeping his rifle trained on a frightened Diana. He shouted at Festus, "Now get down outta there!"

Festus climbed down from the wagon and helped Diana, who held on to his arm. He could feel her trembling.

"We ain't got no money if yer fixin to rob us, mister."

"Knob Noster, Missouri. Twelve years ago. That sound familiar, Haggen?"

"Yancy. I heard you done up an died in prison."

"That was my brother. I made a pledge to him that I'd track down each and every one of the men who murdered our women."

"I tried to save 'em from that fire, Yancy."

"Festus, what is this all about?" Diana asked in a shaky voice.

"Go ahead, Haggen. Tell your woman how you burned down a cabin with our wives trapped inside. My brother's wife was pregnant."

Festus looked down at Diana and gently put his arm around her shoulder.

"There was four Yancy brothers come to hill country and kicked up a hornet's nest a trouble. They looted stills and cabins and had their way with some of the womenfolk."  
"A group of men from different families tracked these yahoos clear down from the hills and into the prairie. Some of us were fixin' to give up the chase when word come that they were hidin out in a cabin just outside a town called Knob Noster."  
"When we got there the men were out huntin' so we planned to wait for 'em. One of the women tried to warn 'em and a lamp got knocked over."  
"We came a runnin' out and the shootin' began."

"I tried to go back and save 'em but the fire growed so fast there wasn't nothin' I could do."

Yancy had by now dismounted and held a pistol on the couple. "You're a liar!"

"I heard my wife screaming. You let her die!"

"I'm a tellin' ya, Yancy, I had nothin' ta do with.."

A gunshot. A scream. Festus grabbed his shoulder and fell to the ground. Diana kneeled beside him and held his head to her. She looked up at Yancy and calmly said, "You've been waiting all these years to gun down an unarmed man. So, tell me, has that made the death of your wife any easier to bear?"

When Yancy didn't answer, she continued, "You wanted to kill me so that you could hurt Festus. So why didn't you shoot me instead? He would have been helpless to stop you. That was the plan, wasn't it?"

The man hung his head and brought down his gun.

Just then, two shots rang out and he fell to the ground.

Diana looked back down the road to see her sisters running toward them.

"Help me get him into he buggy," Venus said with authority. She looked at Selene and ordered, "Go to Dodge and bring back the Doc."

Festus looked up at Diana and smiled, "Don't be frettin' none."

###

 

Kitty Russell, owner of the Long Branch Saloon and one of his best customers, had the full attention of Mr. Jonas.

"I understand, Miss Kitty. I'm to tell Festus the perfume costs two dollars, and put the balance on your account."

Kitty smiled warmly at the store keeper and said, "And not a word to anyone, right Mr. Jonas?"

"Absolutely, Miss Kitty."

A few minutes later Kitty is joined at the Long Branch by Doc and Matt.

"So, why are you taking Festus shopping?" Doc asked.

"He wants to buy a present for Diana, and Kitty is going to help him pick something out, like perfume," Matt explained.

He should have ended it there.

Festus appeared at the bar with his arm in a sling.

Matt asked, "So what is there to know about perfume, Festus?"

"Oh, Matt, sometimes I wonder why I put up with you!" Kitty said in mock annoyance.

Doc winked at her at said, "Why do you keep him around, Kitty?"

"Well, he's housebroken."

"Miss Kitty could you jest give me some learnin about perfumes before we go see Mr. Jonas?"

"Sure, Festus.  
Last time I looked he had Hoyt's German and a Cashmere Bouquet from Floreston, Colgate & Co.  
They're both very nice, but the best is Lundborg's Perfumes from France. Their newest is Edenia, and I think Mr. Jonas also has Alpine Violet."

"Golly bill, Miss Kitty, how am I gonna know which one Diana will like? And remember, I jest got me two dollars ta spend."

"Well, Festus, I think you can't go wrong with Lily of the Valley. It is from Paris and I know she'll love it.

Come on, let's go shopping."

"I sure appreciate this, Miss Kitty. I hate ta be bothersome."

"That's quite all right. I need some Fisk Pear Soap anyway. Sam, I'll be back in a little while."

"What kind of soap?" Matt asked.

Doc swiped a hand over his mustache and pulled his ear.

"Kinda cute, isn't it?" he grinned.

"By thunder you better never repeat that!"

###

Matt, Kitty and Doc crossed Front Street after leaving Delmonico's.  
They entered the Long Branch to find Festus sitting alone at a table, the present tied with a bow was in front of him.

Kitty nudged Doc and he approached the downcast hillman, taking a seat beside him.

Matt and Kitty watched from the bar and Sam came over to say, "He has been sitting there without saying a thing, Miss Kitty. Even when I offered him a drink."

Matt gave Kitty's elbow a little squeeze and whispered, "He just gave Doc something to read."

"Sam, bring us all some beers."

"Will do."

Matt and Kitty joined their two friends and Doc handed them a note.

Festus, It is time for us to move on. I wanted to wait until I knew you were okay. I will never forget you. Love, Diana.

Kitty put her hand over his but didn't know what to say.

Sam came to the table with a pitcher of beer and four beer mugs. Matt poured a glass full and put it in front of Festus.

"Thank ya, Matthew, but I don't recon I'll be stayin ta drink with ya."

"I wish you would, Festus," Matt said.

"This is a time to be with friends, old boy," Doc added.

"Well, a beer might be good."

"It will be, Festus," Kitty soothed. "After all, it is the nectar of the Gods."

 

The End


End file.
